A CAMPAIGN group has revealed the number of council bosses at Barnet who pocketed more than £100,000 last year.
A total of 19 officers were paid more than £100,000 in remuneration packages in the 2013/14 financial year, including five who received more than £150,000 and one who received more than £200,000.
The figures were published in the annual ‘Town Hall Rich List’ by the Taxpayers’ Alliance, a guide to executive pay in councils throughout the UK.
Considering many councils are cutting back services, the Taxpayers’ Alliance said the figures raise questions over value for money - but the council says the group has painted a "misleading picture" by including pension contributions.
Topping the list in Barnet is chief executive Andrew Travers, who received £234,141 in his remuneration package in the 2013/14 financial year.
Former chief operating officer Chris Naylor, who left at the start of this year, received £198,007 in the same year, and claimed £122 in expenses.
And Kate Kennally received £196,704 in her former role as strategic director for communities. She is now the authority’s strategic director for commissioning.
A remuneration package includes salary, and can include other benefits like bonuses.
Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Local authorities that are providing more for less and delivering council tax cuts clearly have talented people at the helm, but taxpayers living in poorly performing areas will be furious at the scale of some of these massive pay awards.
“After more than a decade of reckless spending and council tax hikes, local politicians now have to make necessary savings and the pay and perks for the town hall elite have to come under the spotlight.
“We all deserve to know how our money is being spent, and taxpayers should have the right to decide if they are getting value for their money from public servants.”
In a statement, a spokesman for Barnet Council said: "The Taxpayers' Alliance figures paint a misleading picture by including pension contributions, roles that no longer exists and teachers’ salaries.
“In the last two years we have delivered more than £1.4 million savings by reducing senior management posts and revising senior salaries.
“There are currently 14 posts with salaries above £100,000 out of about 2,500 staff within the council. We publish all salary details above £50,000 on our Open Data portal.”
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